When About a Boy was abruptly pulled from NBC’s schedule a year ago, its fans were outraged. There were angry tweets and pondering editorials. There was a petition involved. (And yes, I’m guilty of participating in all three.) But after finally watching the last minutes of the final episode of season two—which was shot before everyone knew it would, in fact, be the last episode—I might be changing my tune. Because as expected, the writers went where I’ve been worried they’d go from the beginning and had [spoiler alert!] Will and Fiona cross the line. I, for one, am thankful I don’t have to see where this would have gone. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Will and Fiona have no business being anything more than friends.

But before we get to the disappointing and, as it turns out, infinite cliffhanger, let’s quickly catch up on the unexpected turn of events in everyone’s love life.Read More

Those of us who are true fans of About a Boy are also true fans of what gives the show heart: the framily (that’s friends + family, remember?) that Will, Fiona, and Marcus have created. And to question that bond—or, even worse, to criticize it—lands you firmly on the outside of our feelings circle. Are you listening, LIZ?

At the outset of “About a Self Defense,” it seems like Liz and Fiona are destined to be new BFFs (much to Will’s dismay). After Fiona agrees to join Liz at a Krav Maga class, Will warns Fiona to back off, reminding her that every time she gets near someone he likes, bad things happen. Spoiler alert.Read More

The episode titles—both of them—say it all, folks. And if you’re fans of the movie version of About a Boy and have been keeping track of the parallel plot points between the two, you knew it was coming. Marcus isn’t the only teenage boy in Will’s life anymore, and as expected, that’s not something Marcus has an easy time adjusting to—especially when the new kid is Will’s mini-me. Let’s meet the new boy.

It’s Career Day at Marcus’ middle school, and he’s super-stoked to showcase his best bud and the former lead singer of Sriracha with a booth he’s created as an homage to Will. It’s classic Marcus: music notes and guitars made out of construction paper, Will’s high school yearbook photo pasted into glittery peace signs, and the pièce de résistance, a photo cutout of Will. Marcus, naturally, is sure the booth will be the talk of career day, but Will isn’t so sure.Read More

What do you get when you mix a fighting couple, a drunk night in Vegas, a storage unit full of worthless magic tricks, and a pissed-off bride? My 21st birthday? Good guess, but no. You get an episode of About a Boy that is most definitely not about the boy.

Andy and Laurie are fighting. Big surprise, right? Fiona is trying to help both meditate and mediate the couple as they near the (un)happy birth of their fourth child. She suggests taking a relaxing babymoon to help them be in the right frame of mind to welcome their new baby into the world—you know, a departure from bitter and unhappy.

Laurie has planned a staycation—think massages, movies, and salads at home—but Andy has his heart set on Vegas. He has a Groupon and everything.Read More

When About a Boy was taken from us so abruptly last February, we left Will right at the beginning of a serious relationship prospect, which only added to the NBC-sponsored cruelty. Thankfully, because of Netflix, we’re now finally able to see how that romance plays out. (Add it to the long list of other reasons we’re all thankful for Netflix.)

It seems that since we’ve been gone, Will has been hanging out at cute bartender Liz’s place of work. He’d love to take her on a real date, but being a single mom working two jobs sadly doesn’t leave Liz any free time. Besides, she’s hesitant to date again; she’s been burned before and needs a guy with no drama. Will assures her he’s charming and drama-free. Liz, wisely, is skeptical. I mean, no man with hair that styled is completely free of drama, am I right? Read More

Turn those feelings wheels to happy, About a Boy fans! Netflix recently released the unaired final six episodes of the gone-too-soon NBC show we all loved … and then inexplicably lost. (Turn those feelings wheel back to sad.) It may have been about a year since we’ve had the pleasure of Will, Fiona, and Marcus’ company, but within about a minute of watching episode 15, it was like being back with framily (that’s friends plus family, BTW).

Picking up where we left off, Shea and Marcus are officially boyfriend and girlfriend, and Shea suddenly has some major demands in that department. Relax; she just wants to go to see the premiere of a hot new movie. As her official boyfriend, Marcus is elated that it’s his official job to take her to see it, until he discovers it’s at a place called the Megadome, which he knows will cost him megabucks.Read More

May is a rough time of year for TV fans. May Sweeps brings with it hook-ups and weddings and deaths, but it also brings a slew of cancellations. Promising freshman shows are slaughtered for the promise of better pilots to come. Veteran shows are put out to pasture after long runs. Bubble shows wait with bated breath to hear their fate. Some shows are lucky enough to receive notice the end is near; they can prepare for what’s coming. But for others, the end is quick and sudden; cliffhangers are left unfinished and questions unanswered.

For those unlucky shows that get the ax, petitions are signed, creators shop around for new homes, and disappointed fans do lots of crying. So in memoriam of those shows we’ve lost this year, the EW Community says goodbye to those that won’t be joining us in the 2015-2016 TV season.Read More

I have some sad news for all of you About a Boy fans; tonight’s episode may be the last. It may not, but things are up in the air, and no one is really saying what’s going on except on Twitter—which, as we all know, is the only real place to get information nowadays. WINK.

Last week Minnie Driver hinted at the possibility that NBC was going to pull the series after this week, and all sorts of panic ensued. And by “all sorts of panic” I mean a petition was started, and people like you and me who love having quality, heartwarming shows to watch with our tweens were once again frustrated at being outnumbered by the zombies. Or the NBC execs. (Which are possibly the same thing.)

Seriously, how is it that the current television schedule is so heavy with, well, heavy? Zombies, CIA and Homeland Security scandals, sex scandals, corruption, horrific emergency-room scenes, murder, kidnapping, prostitution, infidelity: the daunting and horrific subject matter of what’s filling up the prime-time guide is no laughing matter.

Raise your hand if you’re not a fan of Valentine’s Day. Keep it up if you’re really lying. That’s what I thought.

Secretly, we all love Valentine’s Day even if we claim to hate it, don’t we? And while the title of this About a Boy episode may have you thinking it’s all about a cat party (whatever that is), that’s a lie, too. Because this episode is about the charm of the holiday, no matter how fabricated it may be.

Valentine’s Day begins with Fiona making Will heart-shaped pity pancakes for breakfast because he’s alone. However, Will has big plans for the night. He’s hitting the local bar with wingman TJ (Zach Cregger) to resurrect an old game they like to play called “sad Cupid.” Fiona is immediately repulsed, and even more so when Will describes the game in detail. It’s skanky and deceitful, and exactly the type of game playboy Will (and pre-Dr. Sam Will) liked to play. Read More

I’ll admit, the official title of this episode of About a Boy is far more enticing than the title I gave it (which is actually one of the best lines of the episode) and immediately begs the following assumption: Crazy Will is up to his old shenanigans. And while that may be true, the great twist this time is not that he’s gotten involved with a prostitute—which wouldn’t be that far fetched—but that he is the prostitute. Sort of.

Expression Of JoyThe Brady Bunch: Groovy! The Bradys: Ritual hugging Married…With Children: ”Oh, great.” Thirtysomething: ”Of course I’m happy for you. Really. But what about me? Why does it always have to be about you? The Flintstones: ”Yabba-dabba doo

Expression Of Rage

The Brady Bunch: ”Hmmm…” The Bradys: ”If you back away from something you really want, then you’re a quitter!” (the angriest any Brady has ever been) Married…With Children: ”Aaagh, God, take me from this miserable life!” Thirtysomething: ”I’m not angry, OK?” The Flintstones: ”Willllmaaaa!”

Typical ProblemThe Brady Bunch: Marcia and her rival both want to be the prom queen. The Bradys: Bobby gets paralyzed. Married…With Children: Al doesn’t buy his family Christmas presents. Thirtysomething: Nancy gets cancer. The Flintstones: Fred and Barney are staying out too late.

Typical SolutionThe Brady Bunch: The prom committee decides to have two queens. The Bradys: Bobby gets married. Married…With Children: They hate him. Thirtysomething: If only we knew… The Flintstones: Wilma and Betty decide to follow them.

Attitude Toward SexThe Brady Bunch: Never heard of it The Bradys: Omigod — even Cindy does it! Married…With Children: Peg: Yes. Al: No. Thirtysomething: They didn’t get all those kids by accident. The Flintstones: Prehistoric

How Spouses FightThe Brady Bunch: They don’t. The Bradys: Infrequently, but it happens Married…With Children: Tooth and nail Thirtysomething: They stop talking The Flintstones: Fred and Barney go bowling while Wilma and Betty max out their charge cards.

How Kids Get Into TroubleThe Brady Bunch: Greg takes a puff of a cigarette. The Bradys: Carol’s grandson steals her business cards and sticks them in the spokes of Bobby’s wheelchair. Married…With Children: By committing felonies Thirtysomething: Ethan plays with a forbidden toy rocket. The Flintstones: They don’t.

How They’re Punished

The Brady Bunch: ”It’s not what you did, honey — it’s that you couldn’t come to us.” The Bradys ”Next time, ask.” Married…With Children: By the authorities Thirtysomething: It blows up in his face. The Flintstones: They’re not.

What Family Does For FunThe Brady Bunch: Takes special three-part vacations to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon The Bradys: Has flashbacks Married…With Children: Exchanges insults Thirtysomething: Talks The Flintstones: Attends showings of The Monster at the Bedrock Drive-In

Unsolved MysteriesThe Brady Bunch: How exactly did Carol’s first husband and Mike’s first wife die? The Bradys: What’s with Marcia’s new face and Bobby’s blonde hair Married…With Children: What kind of hair spray does Peg use? Thirtysomething: Why did Nancy take Elliot back? What do Gary and Susanna see in each other? The Flintstones: How does Barney’s shirt stay on if he has no shoulders? Where do Fred and Wilma plug in their TV?

Worst BehaviorThe Brady Bunch: The Brady children once made Alice feel under-appreciated.

Best Reason To WatchThe Brady Bunch: This is what life should be. The Bradys: They’re all grown-ups now! Married…With Children: Terry Rakolta hates it. Thirtysomething (Tie) This is your life. This isn’t your life. The Flintstones: This is what life might have been.

Best Reason Not To WatchThe Brady Bunch: Blurred vision from rerun overdoses. The Bradys: You’re all grown-ups now. Married…With Children: She has a point. Thirtysomething: After a while, you think it’s real. The Flintstones: The Simpsons